EDITOR’S NOTE: This story went to print in the CMU Back To School section prior to Central Michigan finalizing some starting positions that are discussed in this story. Cody Kater was named starting quarterback Aug. 21, while Kevin Henry is expected to get the nod at right tackle and Cody Pettit has earned the starting job at right guard. Matt Cotiguala and Ron Coluzzi are in a battle for the starting placekicker job.

Between winning a bowl game and Eric Fisher going No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft, it has been quite a calendar year for the Central Michigan University football program.

With plenty of momentum, but also some unanswered questions going into the season opener on Aug. 31 at the University of Michigan, the college football season is well underway at least on the practice field as coach Dan Enos has had a week-plus to evaluate his roster and begin to make key decisions at certain positional battles.

Quarterback?

Right tackle?

Kicker?

Advertisement

All three are among the positions that need to be filled capably in order for the Chippewas to improve on last year’s 7-6 record and 24-21 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl victory over Western Kentucky.

“I believe we do have what it takes,” said fourth-year Central Michigan coach Dan Enos when asked if his team has the ability to challenge for a Mid-American Conference West Division title. “We have an improved defense and we have some very explosive players on offense. At the start of the college football season, everyone has questions they have to answer. One thing no one has asked me is about the loss of (kicker) David Harman. He was huge for us last year. We have to figure out who is going to play quarterback and we have to replace our kicker. Those are the biggest things we have to do. Do I think we are capable in both of those spots, definitely. But again, we have to figure out who fill the spots best for our team.”

There are certainly well-documented questions as to who the new CMU starting quarterback will be with junior Cody Kater perhaps having the inside edge thus far after a solid showing in the first team scrimmage, while sophomore Alex Niznak and redshirt freshman Cooper Rush each struggled at times.

Also a question mark is on the offensive line, where senior Jake Olson moves from right tackle to left tackle to replace Fisher.

Junior Kevin Henry is an option at right tackle as he can play either guard or tackle, while 6-foot-7 and 300-pound sophomore Ramadan Ahmeti could also fill the spot.

At kicker, redshirt freshman Ron Coluzzi has a big leg as he showed in the spring game when he booted a 50-yard field goal. He will be challenged by sophomore transfer Matt Cotiguala.

They both face the challenge of replacing Harman, who was a dependable kicker and made 15-of-20 field goals in 2012, including the game-winning 47-yarder in the closing seconds at Iowa.

The hope for Enos, who does the offensive play-calling, will be that the Chippewas won’t have to settle for as many field-goal attempts this year as instead the ball will be consistently put in the end zone. That starts with a pair of proven scorers in senior running back Zurlon Tipton (1,492 rushing yards, 20 total TDs) and junior wide receiver Titus Davis (43 catches, 860 yards, eight TDs), both of whom are on national preseason watch lists at their respective positions.

Defensively, Central Michigan should be improved as there is much more size and strength on the defensive line while starting linebackers Shamari Benton (126 tackles, one INT) and Justin Cherocci (132 tackles) return to the fold. The secondary is also in good shape as senior safety Avery Cunningham (88 tackles, two sacks) and junior cornerback Jason Wilson (50 tackles, two INTs, one TD) should factor in heavily to a defense that is hoping to carry over some of the improved play that helped turn the 2012 season around.

After a 3-6 start in 2012, Enos said his team reached deep and found out what it was made of in qualifying for a bowl game and then completing the strong finish with the win over Western Kentucky.

“Our coaching staff and players really stuck together and believed in one another,” said Enos. “Football is a game of adversity and highs and lows. You have to play through that and I’m proud of the way our football team was able to do that last year. Hopefully we can learn from that and carry it with us when we need to. If we buckle down and stick together, we have a chance to beat everyone on our schedule.”

After the 3:30 p.m. start at the Big House on Aug. 31, Central Michigan opens its five-game home schedule Sept. 7 with a 3 p.m. kickoff versus New Hampshire.

The Chippewas also have home games against Toledo (Sept. 21), Northern Illinois (Oct. 19), UMass (Nov. 23), and Eastern Michigan (Nov. 29).

“Every year I’ve been here, you guys come in here and say we have a difficult schedule,” Enos said. “When you are on our side in the MAC West, it’s a tough schedule. We always play Northern Illinois, who has won the league I don’t know how many times. The way I look at it is that we have an equal amount of home and road conference games. We typically play well at home, but we also won some tough road games last year. We’re going to look at the positives in our schedule and there are a lot of teams in our league with a tough schedule. I think that is kind of the lay of the land in our league. We don’t really worry about it being tough.”